Peter Boyle 'Loves Raymond'

Since 1996, actor Peter Boyle has portrayed Frank, the patriarch of the quirky Barone family on CBS' "Everybody Loves Raymond."

In a few weeks, at the 55th Emmy Awards, Boyle — the only member of his television family not to win an Emmy for "Everybody Loves Raymond" — hopes to accept a statuette for best supporting actor in a comedy.

If he fails to win an Emmy, his recent pay raise may be a nice alternative prize.

Boyle visits The Early Show on Wednesday to discuss the contract dispute that threatened the season of "Everybody Loves Raymond," and his thought of trying to win the elusive Emmy statuette for his role on the show.

Boyle may have skipped this year's season of playing Frank Barone on "Everybody Loves Raymond," because the majority of the cast called for a raise.

Brad Garrett, who plays Raymond's brother Robert Barone on the CBS sitcom, refused to work on new episodes of the new season until he received a big raise.

Soon Patricia Heaton, who plays star Ray Romano's wife, called in sick, as did Doris Roberts and Peter Boyle, who play Ray's parents, Marie and Frank Barone.

Boyle explains that the immediate future of the series was in question and the actors had to look for their best interests.

After an agreement between parties, all the actors will be receiving millions of dollars more. Ray Romano, "Everybody Loves Raymond" creator Phil Rosenthal and some others agreed to give up two percent of their upcoming syndication profits so the four co-stars could split the money among themselves, according to Hollywood Reporter.

Each co-star is expected to get as much as $7.5 million from the syndication deal.

According to Boyle, the show is getting better and it hasn't peaked. He says it is still funny because of the show's writers do a wonderful job.
A five-time Emmy nominee, Boyle says he is not ashamed to say he would like to win a statuette for his Frank portrayal.

Boyle's career in acting, however, may have never been realized if he hadn't change his initial calling as a monk in the Christian Brothers order.

Boyle was born on October 18, 1935 in Northtown, Pa. The actor became a member of the Second City comedy troupe and began playing character roles in film and television in the late 1960s.

He made his film debut in the 1968's "The Virgin President," but first attracted the attention of critics in "Paul Sills Story Theatre" on Broadway and for "Joe."

Boyle made his television-movie debut in the 1973 ABC's "The Man Who Could Talk to Kids." He has since made many television and movie appearances such as the 1977 NBC's "Tail Gunner Joe," 1979 NBC's "From Here to Eternity," the ABC's 1986 sitcom, "Joe Bash," the 1987 HBO's "Conspiracy: The Trial of the Chicago Seven," and the 1989 CBS's "Guts and Glory: The Rise and Fall of Oliver North" — to name a few.

Boyle's many feature film credits include 1972's "The Candidate," 1974's "Young Frankenstein," 1976's "Taxi Driver," 1979's "Beyond the Poseidon Adventure," 1994's "The Santa Clause," "1990's Joe," 1995's "While You Were Sleeping," and 1998's "Dr. Dolittle."

Boyle's role as the eccentric character Frank in "Everybody Loves Raymond" was nominated for an Emmy in 1999, 2000 and 2001. He won an Emmy in 1996 for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series for an appearance in an episode of FOX's "The X-Files."

Since a recent heart attack, Boyle says he made several lifestyle changes including watching his diet, not smoking or drinking and exercising.